IMW protests illegal fishing in Indonesian waters

Jakarta (ANTARA News) – Some 50 people grouped in Indonesian Maritime Watch (IMW) staged a rally in front of the National Police Headquarters in South Jakarta on Monday to protest against illegal fishing in Indonesian waters.

In their peaceful rally, the protesters demanded that security agencies make concerted efforts to stop illegal fishing in the country as soon as possible.

They said illegal fishing was causing the state a loss of Rp30 trillion every year.

According to the protesters, illegal fishing was the same as corruption and therefore the security agencies and law enforcers must take firm action against the perpetrators.

The IMW demonstrators also said many government officials were involved in illegal fishing activity but to date they had not been touched by the law.

Early this month, the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (DKP) nabbed five Thai and four Vietnamese fishing boats in Indonesia`s Natuna waters.

Meanwhile, a spokesman of the directorate general of fisheries and marine resources management and control, Aji Sularso, said here recently that at least 186 foreign fishing boats had been nabbed this year for poaching in Indonesian waters.